Post Office And Rural DeliveryIn Chandler Township Charlevoix County

Please do not copy the photos on this site, many of which have been submitted by private individuals... just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.

22 April 1921 ~ Charlevoix County Herald

United Stated Postal Service (USPS) began in 1775 during the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin being appointed the first Postmaster General. The USPS is one of the few governmental agencies which is authorized by the United States Constitution.

"John E. Darrah, Melrose Township Charlevoix County, was born in Saratoga County, N.Y., Jan. 1 1847: came to Kalamazoo County, Mich., with his parents in 1850 and remained there till 1862; he then went to Pennsylvania and was engaged in lumbering for two years. He enlisted in 1864 in the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, and served in the Army of the Potomac till the close of the war. Was in several battles near Petersburg, Va., and was at Farmville, Va., when General Lee's army surrendered to General Grant. He came to Clarion Station March 7, 1877, when the surrounding country was a dense wilderness, and had only one dollar and fifty cents in money, a barrel of flour and a cow to make a start with in a new country, having just been burned out in Kent County, Mich., and lost all he had... He helped to organize the township [Melrose] in 1877 and has been supervisor since that time, has also been justice of the peace six years, notary public four years and was the first postmaster at Clarion." At the time of the CCC Wolverine Camp located in Chandler Township, the mailing address was Clarion in Melrose Township.

By 1890 the village of Springvale in Chandler Township Charlevoix County MI did have a post office (A.J. Crago was the first Postmaster)... but, the post office was discontinued by about 1923. Early maps of Chandler Township like the 1921 Chamber of Commerce Map shows the location of the village of Springvale as located in Section 2, but on the 1901 Plat Map the location of the Springvale Post Office was located in Section 24 which is south of the Gallop Cemetery location, so it is confusing as to what, or where, was the actual "Springvale Post Office". The Pioneer Profiles in the back of the 1901 Plat Map book, lists James Pearson [see photo below] as the "Postmaster of Springvale Post Office" which may explain why the Springvale Post Office was located in Section 24... that post office property is designated being surrounded by the 40 acres of land belonging in 1901 to James Pearson. Stories have been handed down that the Springvale General Store had a Post Office area within its building, perhaps receiving the mail from the train that passed closely to the store [see photos below]. Chandler Township post office stories also include tales that the post office might be housed within a private home... and that space might move to a different home from time to time. Rural free delivery was introduced nationwide in 1896/97, with five routes. Only seven years later, 15,119 routes covering 322,618 miles traversed the countryside. It is not known, however, when Rural Delivery began in Charlevoix County. Later, when rural delivery began in Chandler Township, the delivery still did not arrive at every home. Often clusters of mailboxes were located in a central location, sometimes a mile or more from a home, and the resident had to retrieve his mail from that distant location... even though logical thinking would make the resident wonder why the mailman could not just drive even a half mile, or a mile farther to deliver the mail to the mailing address. Even in 1952, Marion Mackie Wood, longtime Chandler Township resident, wondered just that... why could the mail not be delivered to their home, rather than her husband Howard, often having to walk to neighbor Connie Gallop's home to pick up their mail, or Connie and her son Bud Gallop often having to drive the mail to Howard & Marion Wood.

The railroad track ran directly next to the Springvale Cobbs & Mitchell General Store if that was how, and where, the mail was delivered for the village of Springvale.

1880's

The route of the railroad lines rather dictated where the post offices would be located in Northern Michigan. Chandler Township's mail often came in with the post office named as Clarion Michigan... as noted on the Camp Wolverine CCC's camp menu. In 2013 Chandler Township residents have Boyne Falls MI listed as the town of their mailing address. The original reason for Boyne Falls or Clarion being the noted post offices was written in Perry Powers' 1912 book A History of Northern Michigan and Its People on page 176: "... But the development of the interior country did not warrant the extension of the Grand Rapids & Indiana road to Mackinaw City until 1882, although Bay View had secured connections in 1876 and Harbor Springs in 1880. The corporation now known as the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway Company was chartered in July, 1896, under the laws of Michigan and Indiana, to take over the railroad and property of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company, which was sold under foreclosure August 1st of that year. The company owns practically the capital stock of the Traverse City Railroad Company and a one-third interest in the Mackinac Transportation Company. The following lines, in Northern Michigan, are now operated by the Grand Rapids & Indiana: Main line-Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Mackinaw City, Michigan, 366.63 miles. Missaukee branch-MAissaukee Junction to Michelson, Michigan, 81.94 miles. Missaukee City spur-Northward from Ardis Junction, 3.85 miles. Harbor Springs branch-Kegomic to Harbor Springs, Michigani.5.91 miles. Traverse City railroad, from Walton to Traverse City, Grand Traverse county, 25.86 miles. The stations and postoffices along the lines of the Grand Rapids & Indiana in the territory under consideration are as follows: Northern division-Mackinaw City, Cheboygan county; Carp Lake, Levering. Van, Pellston. Brutus, Alanson, Oden, Conway, Bay View and Petoskey. Emmet county; Clarion and Boyne Falls, Charlevoix county; Elmira, Otsego county; Alba and Mancelona, Antrim county; Westwood, Leetsville, Kalkaska and South Boardman, Kalkaska county; Fife Lake, Grand Traverse county; Manton, Cadillac and Hobart, Wexford county; Tustin, Le Roy, Ashton, Crono and Reed City, Osceola county. Harbor Springs branch-We-que-ton-sing and Harbor Springs, Emmet county. Missaukee branch-Michelson, Roscommon county; Jennings, Lake City, Falmouth, and Missaukee City, Missaukee county. Traverse City branch-Summit City, Kingsley, Mayfield and Traverse City. Grand Traverse county."

Stories exist that Dot (located in Chandler Township)was a "Stagecoach Stop" while the stagecoach was enroute from Vanderbilt, carrying mail.The following article from the 1987 Aug 20 Page 12 Herald Times: Sesquicentennial lends credence to the stagecoach story.

1987 Aug 20 Page 12 Herald Times: Sesquicentennial Edition

Article above: Jim Wagner's store was actually on the corner of Thumb Lake Road and Magee Road, rather than "Thumb Lake Road and Chandler Hill Road", as written in the article.

The Thumm [sic] Lake post office mentioned in the article below is probably the same post office as mentioned in the article left telling about the stage coach going through the village of Dot to pick up mail to be delivered.

28 November 1907 ~ The Vanderbilt Times Published as part of The Otsego Herald Times

1901

224 July 1901 ~ The Petoskey Record

James PearsonOn the map sections below from the 1901 Plat Book for Chandler Township, the Village of Springvale was located on the border of Sections 2 and 11. The Springvale P.O. [the dot in the tiny square] was located in section 24 within the 40 acres of property owned by James [Jas.] Pearson.

Portion of Chandler Township from 1901 Plat Map Book

James Pearson ~ Postmaster of Springvale Post Office

Esther Demaray Pearson

Photos Above: James Pearson was listed as the "Postmaster of Springvale Post Office" in 1901. He passed away just three years later on 29 May 1904 in his Chandler Township home, with the "cause of death" listed as Chronic Bronchitis. He had married to Esther Jane Demaray on 3 December 1851 Niagara County NY. Esther passed away 26 May 1919. Both James and Esther are buried in the Gallop Cemetery in Chandler Township, just down the road from where they had lived. The Charlevoix Sentinel stated at the time of James Pearson's passing: "James Pearson, father of Sheriff W.J. Pearson, died at his home in Chandler township Sunday, at an advanced age. Mr. Pearson located in Chandler township twenty one years ago, coming there from near Pontiac. All of his five children were present at the funeral, which was the largest in the history of that township. Deceased was a man of sterling character." ~ Charlevoix Sentinel

Prior To 1903 ~ Frank Eastwood

Frank Eastwood ~ Submitted by Wendy Butka from the Collection of Lila Magee

Chandler Township resident Nellie Mackie Pearson wrote a letter 18 January 1903to her sister Marion Mackie Wood who was living in Chicago IL at that time:" Mr. Eastwood [Frank] was buried the 8th. He died of cancer of stomach. She will get $9.50 maccabee money. He drew $50.00 on a disability claim last fall. I hope she [Rhoda] will stay here, but I don’t expect she will. Frank Eastwood carried the mail from Cobbs & Mitchell store to Vanderbilt. The store is at the plum orchard you remember where that was. It is a fine big store and a new hotel quite a village post office of Springvale so there is no more mail from Petoskey. There is a railroad from Boyne Falls and it will be completed to Wolverine in the early spring. They run a caboose out every Sat to the Falls. I went out once last Summer.Photo Left: The photo left may have been taken about 1902 when Frank Eastwood was looking quite thin. He passed away in January 1903.

1910 ~ Mr. Merrit

13 June 1912 ~ The Petoskey Record Page 5

In the beginnings of postal delivery, parcels were not mailed. It was not until 1913 that this happened. The Smithsonian Library websitedescribes the effects of parcel post delivery as follows: "The establishment of parcel post in 1913 had a tremendously stimulating effect on the national economy; it opened a world of opportunities for both farmers and merchants alike. Rural Americans were able to purchase foodstuffs, medicines, dry goods and other commodities not readily available to them previously. Even more conveniently, the goods were mailed directly to their homes. In addition, farmers were able to ship eggs and other produce directly to the consumer, saving both time and money." The Smithsonian Library website has many associated photos regarding parcel post delivery in the United States.

2 January 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record

Only a short time after parcel post began, more clerks were necessary to sort the additional mail arriving on the late G.R. & I (Grand Rapids and Indiana) and evening trains in Petoskey MI, and to prepare the mail for delivery and the carriers the next morning as noted in the article below.

23 January 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record Page 4

Being able to ship various items in 1913 by parcel post was a big deal. Before regulations put a halt to it, even children under 50 pounds could be shipped by parcel post. A website about "Sending Children by Parcel Post" even has a photo (evidently a humorous image to help end such actual practice).Chandler Township resident Marion Mackie Wood often wrote in her diaries of having sent meat, or food, to her daughter Isabel (Art) Oldham where they lived in Chicago.

In 1913, the article below was written telling of the postal inspectors describing the proper way to put up a mail box so the wheel of a buggy would just pass under it. Oliver Magee was the postal delivery man for Chandler Township at that time and was delivering mail from a buggy as in the photo farther below.

23 January 1913 ~ The Petoskey Record Page 5

It wasn't until 1915 that the Arctic Circle had Artcic rural mail carriers, so Chandler Township was at least ahead of the Arctic Circle regarding rural mail carriers!

11 November 1915 ~ Levering Local

First Class Mail to be Taxed to Assist in Upkeep of WWI

17 March 1917 ~ The Petoskey Evening News

Oliver Magee

Oliver Magee and son Perry Magee were delivering mail. Perry "Pud" was born in 1909 . The Pictorial History of The Boyne Valley Area labeled this photo as: "Oliver MaGee and son Perry delivering mail in the summer of 1920."Oliver L. Magee was buried in the Boyne Valley Cemetery Boyne Falls MI.(17 August 1872 ~ 1 November 1926)

Oliver Magee and son Perry delivered mail in the Summer of 1920.

Oliver Magee (Only known photo of Oliver Magee) ~ Submitted by Wendy Butka from the Collection of Lila Magee

About 1927 ~ 30 September 1952 Ezra Hetrick ~ Rural Mail Carrier

Marion Mackie Wood, Chandler Township resident, had written a letterJanuary 31, 1945 to her daughter Isabelle Wood Oldham in Chicago. "The mail hasn’t been coming in as it should. Mr. Hetrick is getting delicater & delicater as he grows old. He used to have Merle [Ezra's son] to be along with him but Merle’s been in the army a long time & he has a tall grandson with him lots but I guess he (young Upton) don’t care to buck drifts- very much."

Marion Mackie Wood had written a letterApril 1, 1947 to her daughter Isabelle Wood Oldham in Chicago. "The mail hasn’t gotten in only once in a while. Mr. Hetrick is having mumps so Roy Magee (Mr. Louise Pearson) is subbing for him. When Roy came late last week [after 5 days of no mail] he got coffee, bread & a raft of things he thought people might be out of, & brought them in. Wasn’t that nice? Mr. Hetrick's going to retire pretty soon & then we’ll likely have Roy for our mailman." Marion Mackie Wood had written a letter 18 July 1952 to her daughter Isabelle Wood Oldham in Chicago, regarding the ill health of Mr. Ezra Hetrick of Boyne Valley Township who was their present mailman, lamenting the rural mail delivery not coming to Marion and Howard Wood's home. Mr. Hetrick had suffered a stroke, and was going to be giving up his mail delivery. The letter, in part, stated: "Last Sun we went to Mr. Hetrick’s party at the Boyne Falls school, & the $75.00 presentation chair was a beauty, & Bud, George, Georgia, Lilly Stowe, & the 2 Caldwell girls who all had boarded with them [The Hetrick Family] & went to Highschool [in Boyne Falls MI], gave Mrs. Hetrick a lovely table lamp & a corsage. Don’t [sic] Connie [Gallop] think of the nicest things! of course it was she who sparked the whole thing. Mr. Hetrick is very very shattered with his health. He is carrying mail, but his brother goes with him every day- He will get a few dollars more a month on his pension if he keeps going until Fall, poor dear. He always questioned us having the mail go past here every time the subject was brought up."AND October 5, 1952: "Today Mr. Hetrick is giving up the mail route. His birthday time. The day he started this route, so it will be quite a celebration. The rural mail carriers are giving him a party...Ezra L. Hetrick was buried in the Boyne Valley Cemetery Boyne Falls MI. (1884 ~ 1957)

About 1932 ~ Roscoe Howard Jr. and brother Kenny stood in front of their mailbox at the bottom of Chandler Hill on Chandler Hill Road.

1 October 1952 ~ 13 August 1953Roy A. Magee ~ Rural Mail Carrier

Marion Mackie Wood wrote in her same 5 October 1952 letter, as mentioned above about Mr. Hetrick, to her daughter Isabelle Wood Oldham in Chicago: "Roy McGee [Magee] has been on the route since the 1st- so he [Mr. Hetrick] has been already retired- as cold as it is he's [Mr. Hetrick's] in luck to be staying in. We must try to have the mail go past here.- Mr. Hetrick always said no about it for the last 25 years."[Roy Magee (a twin to Ira Marshall Magee who had died at about 19 years old) died 13 August 1953 at only 46 years old, so hardly carried the mail for one year.] Roy Magee was still delivering Howard and Marion Wood's mail to neighbor Bud Gallop when Marion wrote in her November 15, 1951 diary: "Roy Magee was all scared when he gave Bud my candy- he had spilled a can of kerosene in on the mail. Bud opened the pkg. & it hadn’t penetrated. I’m glad- It’s delicious- Sweet of Nell- " [Cousin Nell Hamilton Lyons had sent the candy to Marion.]

Roy Magee (Photographed 18 May 1953 and died 13 August 1953) ~ Submitted by Wendy Butka from the Collection of Lila Magee

Sharon Crego's family moved from Grand Ledge MI to settle on a farm in Chandler Township in 1932. He worked on the family farm to help the family make it through the Great Depression. Sharon's father worked for the Townsend Family. In 1943, Sharon was inducted into the military in the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps in Detroit MI. He returned from the military in 1951 to again work on the farm, and also to deliver mail to Chandler Township as a rural mail carrier out of the Boyne Falls Post Office for 35 years.Sharon passed away 31 December 2012.

On 4 April 2009 Karla Howard Buckmaster talked with Sharon Crego on the phone. Sharon told that his father was James Arthur Crego who lived on Chandler Hill. James' first wife was Prudence Gilbert. The Gilberts lived across from where Connie Gallop's farm was on Chandler Hill, near to the Gallop Cemetery.

Already by 1903 the Charlevoix County Rural Mail Delivery had evidently been affected by fences built by the roadways creating snow drifts. The Public and Local Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan, Part 1 By Michigan (shown below) stated that "along those highways in Charlevoix county, which are used or hereafter shall be used as United States mail or rural free delivery routes, shall be constructed of open wire fencing, and the building of any form of fence along such highways, which can cause the formation of snow drifts is prohibted."

3 December 2007 Winter ProblemA Rural Letter Carrier wrote a letter to the editor, published in the Petoskey News Review, voicing his concerns associated with rural mail delivery during the winters in Otsego, Antrim, and Charlevoix Counties.The carrier addressed the roadways needing to be safely plowed, and the rural residents needing to keep access to the mailbox cleared.

The Boyne Falls Post Office is the server of the Rural Delivery for Chandler Township so those residents have a Boyne Falls mailing address. The above article refers to the plans for hours being cut in the Boyne Falls office from 8 to 6 hours per day. The article also explains the plight of the US Postal Service because of lack of funds.